Life After the War
by Hinnyness
Summary: This is story after the second war, starting from the last Chapter to the Epilogue. It goes over the 19 years in between. Death Eaters are on the run, Harry deals with his trauma while the Wizarding World tries to rebuild itself. How will the Golden Trio adjust to life and decisions? Canon. Pairings: HP/GW, RW/HG, and other canon pairings.


Life After the War

This is my first attempt at Fanfiction writing. I never had something that explained the time between the Last Chapter and the Epilogue, so this is my version of it. I will stick to Canon and make sure it stays that way. There is going to be some Romance, some Drama and some Mystery. Please please review it!

Ron and Hermione walked on Harry's side, holding hands and he felt a small smile appear on his face. It felt so different to smile. But just as Harry started thinking about happiness, he remembered the bodies laid out in the Great Hall, Lupin and Tonks just after having a baby. Teddy is orphaned just like him. Colin, so young. Fred, he couldn't continue thinking. With this Harry sunk down on a broken step on the grand staircase.

"Harry, mate, are you okay?" he could hear Ron's voice through many layers, the sound not truly registering.

"Harry, common on, get up, its okay, he is dead, it will be alright, we will be alright," a softer, gentler, a voice from distant memories pulled him up. He felt a soft hand clasp his, and lead the way. He walked, following a mane of fiery red hair, long red hair, Ginny.

"Ginny," Harry managed to croak out. She turned around, he saw those chocolate brown eyes, and he pulled her into his arms. He got a faint whiff of her flowery perfume behind the many smells of smoke, dust, and blood.

"You need sleep, Kreacher has put out some clothes for you, Ron and Hermione, go to sleep."

Quietly, he followed her to the Gryffindor dormitories, not registering anything except for her soft hand in his till they reached the room he shared with four other boys till one year ago.

Before Harry could think more, he fell onto his bed, feeling home at last.

"Harry, wake up! How much do you want to sleep? I want food," laughing Harry woke up to Ron's disgruntled voice.

"How much did I sleep?" The sun was shining outside so Harry assumed it must be around five in the afternoon.

"Its ten in the morning, you were dead to the world for 25 hours, I woke up a couple of hours ago, and Ginny is waking up Hermione right now."

"I really think I need a shower right now and then how about I meet you and Hermione in the common room?" he could smell the odor of his body and wondered how he became so smelly.

"I think we both really need showers, I don't think Hermione likes smelly boys," Ron looked at me sheepishly.

"And finally you two are together. Well done, mate." With that, Harry pulled him into a hug.

"Mate, shower please?" Ron pulled away, wrinkling his nose.

Laughing, they took our towels and headed towards the bathroom. Just like old times.

Showered and changed into clothes that actually fit, Ron and Harry headed down to the Common Room. He was nervous; he didn't want to face many people. Right now, Harry just wanted the Weasleys and Hermione. Luckily for him, only Hermione was in the Common Room.

"Your family just went down for breakfast, they assumed three of us needed time to talk," Hermione said as she walked towards them. Ron walked over and gave her a deep kiss, and she blushed deeply."Better get used to it, I wasted too much time by not telling you I love you," Ron told her and slipped his hand into hers.

Ginny. All he could think of was, her. How he needed to see her, talk to her, kiss her and never let her go. Before Harry could say anything, Ron's stomach rumbled. Some things never changed, like Ron's appetite.

They walked down the steps quietly; finally seeing the damage, Hogwarts had suffered. Shattered glass glittered like diamonds in the sun, chunks of the wall lay in heaps, and scorch marks covered the tapestries and paintings. Hogwarts needed rebuilding, and it would take time.

Before we entered the Great Hall, Harry stopped.

"I've decided to tell the whole story to some people, and you will need to help me to fill it in, I think this conversation needs to happen as soon as possible so that they understand my actions." Hermione nodded in agreement.

As they walked in, the Hall erupted in cheers. Harry kept his face down and walked quickly to where the Weasley family was sitting. Just as Harry reached the table, Mrs. Weasley's arms were around him pulling him into a bone-crushing hug. He could feel her tears soaking through his T-shirt as he returned her hug, needing a mother as badly as she needed a son.

"Molly, let him breathe, Harry, eat something, you look absolutely starved," Mr. Weasley took Mrs. Weasley into his arms while pushing food towards Ron. Mr. Weasley looked like he had aged at least 20 years in the last forty-eight hours.

Harry looked at Bill, holding Fleur in his arms. His eyes looking down and his hands clasping Fleur as if she were his life. Fleur had tears running down her cheeks silently and hugging Bill, in an attempt to calm him down. Charlie sat, not eating but watching George.

Harry looked at George, surprised to find him seeking the comfort of Percy. Percy held George in his arms, crying wordlessly while George looked unseeingly. His eyes were red and glassy, his face devoid of his usual laughter.

Harry finally looked at Ginny; he noticed a cut above her right eyebrow, her brown eyes staring at him. He needed to talk to her, but this was not the time.

After a quick breakfast (Ron was still eating), he went up to Professor McGonagall and asked her and Kingsley to meet the Weasley family and him in the Gryffindor Common Room in an hour. Next, he went to Neville and Luna and told them the exact same thing. Slowly, Harry found everyone he wanted to talk to from Hagrid to trusted order members and Hogwarts professors such as Professor Flitwick, Slughorn, and Sprout.

Harry walked up to Hermione and Ron, and his two best friends got up. Mrs. Weasley looked up, inquiringly, but before she said anything, Harry gave her a hug and told her that they were never leaving her again.

As he walked out of the Great Hall, he felt many eyes follow him. His feet carried him, while his brain went a mile a minute. Hermione and Ron knew where they were going before Harry said anything.

"Are you sure you want to give it up? It is the most powerful wand. Think what you can do with it!" moaned Ron.

"Think about what trouble Harry would get into if someone found out!" Hermione reasoned.

"I think my wand can do anything I want it to, it did stand up to Voldemort several times. I don't want any more trouble. Now I just want a peaceful life."

"Peaceful and you don't go well together," snorted Ron.

While they talked, they reached Dumbledore's tomb. The white marble was cracked right down the middle, his body exposed to the elements. Even in his death, Dumbledore had a small smile on his face. Harry took a deep breath, a placed the Elder Wand back where it belonged. Harry covered Dumbledore with the shroud. Harry raised his wand a levitated the marble and adjusted it to sit back on the tomb. As it fell in place, Harry heard a distant phoenix's cry, soothing his inside and giving him the courage to walk back inside.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron found their favorite armchairs near the fire and waited. Even though there was a fire crackling, Harry felt cold. Hermione and Ron were silently staring at the fire, not really registering it. None of them heard the portrait hole open until Harry felt someone touch his back. His hand flew to his wand, and he spun around, only to see Ginny standing there. Ron and Hermione were on their feet with their wands out. Harry slowly pocketed his wand.

"I'm so sorry Ginny, -"

"It wasn't like I didn't expect that, part me of expected you to hex me." Ginny cut him off before he could finish. Harry collapsed back on the chair and pulled Ginny into his lap. He looked around to find Ron, but Ron and Hermione had disappeared.

"I'm sorry I disappeared on you."

"I didn't expect anything else."

"Do you still want me? Did you find someone more interesting than me?"

"Harry Potter! How can you ask if I still want you?! All this time, I fought for you, I believed in you, in the hopes that one day you would come back and we could live a normal life together. Plus, with the Carrows around my chances of dating were very slim, to be honest,' she said her eyes twinkling.

"Ron said normal, and I don't go well together."

"And you will never be the boring normal."

"I love you, Ginny." The words came out before he even thought about it. He didn't even realize he was saying it. But it felt so right, after months of looking at her dot on the Marauder's map, he knew this was right. She stared at him with her mouth slightly open. He was worried she was going to him hex him.

But what she did next was much better. She kissed him, and he felt himself forgetting everything, except for the wonderful woman in his arms. He wound his hand in her soft hair, while his other hand drew her in closer. He didn't know whether it had been minutes, days, weeks or months when they pulled apart.

"I love you too, Harry."

As Harry sat watching the fire and Ginny remained curled up in his lap, the common room slowly started to fill. Hermione and Ron came down and settled themselves next to him. Ron looked at Harry and Ginny, and gave Harry a shrug, while Hermione beamed. When everyone came, Harry stood up, and Ginny went to join her family.

"Thank you, everyone, for coming. I know everyone has a lot of questions, but I want to ask you not to stop me while I am talking. I will answer all your questions, once I'm done talking. This is going to take a while so please take a seat."

With that, Harry started. He started right at the beginning, with the death of his parents and magic that protected him. He went to explain his years at Hogwarts, mentioning Tom Riddle's Diary in his second year, Wormtail's escape in the third year and Voldemort's rise in the fourth. He spoke about how he could see into Voldemort's mind and therefore see his actions and need to understand what was in the Department of Mysteries. When he mentioned the prophecy and the one who predicted it, Professor McGonagall gasped. When he came to the part of two boys being born at the end of July, he looked up and caught Neville's eye. Harry saw Neville's face whiten. Harry continued, explaining the private classes he took with Professor Dumbledore.

"After retrieving a certain memory, we realized that Voldemort had made Horcruxes," Harry said. When he said this, the older wizards, all the professors and the order gasped and started whispering. Seeing the confused look on several faces, Harry explained that Horcruxes are when a piece of soul that is broken off the main soul and hidden in an object when they commit murder. Neville looked shocked while Luna for the first time looked frightened. Ginny had a look of understanding. George looked up for the first time, his face registering anger.

"Professor Dumbledore knew there was more than one Horcrux when I came back from the Chamber of Secrets, with Tom Riddle's Diary. Voldemort created seven Horcruxes." When Harry said this, he waited, and most people looked like they were going to be sick. Harry continued after he saw people regain some control. He explained all the Horcruxes, except the last one, him. Harry started explaining everything from the moment they left Bill and Fleur's wedding. The Ministry, being on the run, Godric's Hollow, Malfoy Manor, and Gringotts.

Harry took a deep breath and looked at Ron and Hermione. The next part was going to be the hardest. Harry continued to explain everything, and he couldn't go on after telling people how Snape was killed. Harry's voice faltered, and he realized his face was wet. Before he realized, Ginny was on his side, holding his hand, giving him the courage to finish. As Harry spoke about Snape's memories, people's faces registered shock. As Harry spoke when he walked into the forest to Voldemort, and Voldemort used the killing curse. Professor McGonagall, Mrs. Weasley, and many others cried out. Hagrid started sobbing in his tablecloth handkerchief. Mr. Weasley was white and shaking. Ginny was clutching his hand so tightly that it seemed like she wanted to cut off the blood. He looked up at her, and she loosened her grip. Harry finished off the remaining by talking about Narcissa and the final battle. He looked up and sighed. Talking about it was hard, but it felt almost like all the poison was removed from him.

"I know you all have a lot of questions, so I'll try my best to answer them.' Harry said.

"So Severus was always on our side,' said Professor McGonagall. " Albus really did have an ironclad reason. He was protecting Harry all this time." She looked too shocked to continue.

One by one, he answered questions about Parseltongue, the sword of Gryffindor, and Horcruxes. Finally, there were no questions left. The group sat in silence, processing all the information. Kingsley got up and walked towards Harry. He asked him if he could make some announcements. Harry was happy to sit down and get out of the spotlight for a bit.

"So, this information, especially about Horcruxes should remain between us. We do not want it to get into the hands of other Dark wizards." Kingsley said, and everyone nodded mutely in agreement.

"I also have a couple of announcements to make,' Kingsley continued. "First of all, we want everyone to stay at Hogwarts for the next few days until we know everyone's house is safe to return to. Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley and other wizarding towns might not be safe yet as the uncaptured Death Eaters might still create problems. We ask you to keep all the protective spells around your houses until we say its safe to remove them. We will let you know when it is safe to go back. Second, Hogwarts will need help to be rebuilt, and we will need help to rebuild it. We need Volunteers for that and Volunteers to help with the tracking down of the last remaining Death Eaters. And lastly, we will be holding trials for all Death Eaters and affiliated people who have assisted Voldemort. You should receive letters from the Ministry soon." With that Kingsley stepped away to talk to Percy.

Harry watched everyone talk among themselves while Ginny sat on his lap. Hermione and Ron were whispering about their plans for the summer. One by one people started approaching him to talk.

"Hi Harry, can I talk to you for a second?" Neville came up behind him.

"Sure, what's wrong?" Harry saw that Ginny got up and left and Hermione and Ron were listening on.

"Nothing really just wanted to ask about the prophecy, did the other boy in the prophecy mean me?" Harry looked up at him, his face was lined and has several scars. Harry sighed and replied.

"Yes. It was you. He chose me because I was half-blood like him."

"Merlin, it could have been me." Neville looked like he was going to collapse when his grandmother came behind me and grabbed him and helped him away.

"Harry, m'boy, thank you for not mentioning my name in connection to the Horcuxes." Slughorn lumbered up to him, his face still slightly red and embarrassed.

"I would never do that, Professor."

Harry looked at Ron and Hermione and silently they got up went up to the Boys Dormitory.

"That was exhausting."

"Just listening to it made me relive it."

The door opened to see Ginny, Neville, Luna, Bill, Fleur, Charlie, Percy, and George walk in. The found different places to sit and just stared. George's face was red and puffy. Bill looked around with some recognition on his face. Charlie and Percy seemed lost in their thoughts.

"It's over now, isn't it? He is never coming back? Can we move on?" George asked, his eye's sad but still hopeful.

"Yes, it's finally over." sighed Harry.


End file.
